"We can't do this. This doesn't work." This is what Michael Eisner - the then-Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company - told Thomas Schumacher, Peter Schneider and Julie Taymor back in August of 1996. That the stage version of Disney's acclaimed animated feature, "The Lion...

Given that Disney Theatrical has - over the past two years - launched four international productions of its hit Broadway musical, "Aladdin" (With the Japanese version bowing in Tokyo in May of 2015, the German version debuting in Hamburg back in December of 2015, the London version opening...

Over the past few days, you've probably seen a story or two about " Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark ." You know, that problem-plagued Broadway musical which just closed at the Foxwoods Theatre this past Saturday night . Given that Marvel Entertainment, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of...

Kristin T. sent me an e-mail earlier this week offering her thoughts about Disney Parks ' new Limited Time Magic promotion. To be specific ... ... I can't help but think that this money could be better spent in other ways. Wouldn't it have made more sense in the long run if the Imagineers...

It was quite the night at the Minskoff Theatre last night. As both the creatives and former cast members of Disney's "The Lion King" came together for a one-night-only event which celebrated the 15th anniversary of the Broadway production of this acclaimed musical . There were lots of tender...

When you think about the stage version of Disney’s “The Lion King,” what first comes to mind? For some, it might be Elton John & Sir Tim Rice ’s terrific score. While others might talk up the brilliant job that Julie Taymor did with staging this Tony Award-winner. Which Newsweek magazine called ...

The juggernaut that is Disney’s “The Lion King” just rolls on and on and on. The stage musical version of this Academy Award-winning animated feature isn’t just one of the most popular shows on Broadway. It’s now one of the most beloved pieces of entertainment in the world. Want proof? Then let’s take...

Can it really be almost twelve years since Julie Taymor ’s acclaimed stage adaptation of “The Lion King” first bowed on Broadway? Given that the London production just celebrated its 10 th anniversary at the Lyceum Theatre , I guess the answer to that question would have to be “Yes...

In a town like Las Vegas , where virtually every building screams “Look at me!” … Copyright 2009 Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. All Rights Reserved … how do you stand out from the crowd? Cut through all that visual clutter? That was the challenge that Disney Theatrical & the Mandalay...

It’s the Hans Christian Andersen story that Walt Disney almost put into production back in the 1940s (as part of a live action / animated co-production with Samuel Goldwyn ). This is one of Kay Nielsen's Little Mermaid concept paintings for that aborted Hans Christian Andersen feature from the 1940s...

Given the high number of recent Broadway hits (i.e. “ Avenue Q ,” “ Hairspray ,” “ The Producers ,” “ Monty Python's Spamelot ”) that have had less than stellar runs in Las Vegas, it’s very tempting to say Disney Theatrical is taking a gamble by creating a new sit-down production of “The Lion King” for...

There are so many movie-based musicals turning up on Broadway these days that the theater community has actually invented a somewhat derogatory term to describe these high profile productions: movsicals. And what with the rather tepid respection that " Young Frankenstein " and " The Little Mermaid "...

For most people on this planet, the stage version of Disney's "The Lion King" first came on their radar when this Julie Taymor production initially opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre . Given the spectacular reviews this show received (Not to mention its amazing word-of-mouth) musical fans knew immediately...

Well, it wasn't quite how Disney Theatrical had hoped the 10th anniversary of Broadway's "The Lion King" would play out. By that I mean: The Mouse had literally had this celebration in the works for months. With the kick-off happening 'way back in June, when this Tony Award -winning musical had its South...

People have called the Broadway version of Disney's "The Lion King" many things. Dazzling. Spectacular. A magical night of theater. However, were you to ask Steve "Doc" Zorthian -- who, back in 1997, started off as one of this long-running musical's original assistant stage managers and now serves as...

It's often been said that one part (To be specific, the right role in the right show at the right time) can make your career on Broadway. Well, when it comes to Nathaniel Stampley -- the veteran performer who's now playing the part of Mufasa in the Broadway production of "The Lion King" -- Nathaniel...

"Hakuna Matata ! What a wonderful phrase. Hakuna Matata ! Ain't no passin' craze ..." If ever there's anyone on this planet who understands that Disney's " The Lion King " ain't no passin' craze, it's Danny Rutigliano . For almost a decade now, he's been appearing in the Tony Award-winning stage version...